Thursday, February 16, 2012

How to Cook Perfect Pork Roast


Pork roast are very easy to cook, but my experiences tell me that not many people know how to cook them. The biggest problems I see when eating someone's pork roast is there is not enough seasoning, the roast is over cooked and dry, or the meat is greasy. All three of these problems can be remedied without much work.

Seasoning food and in particular, meat, seems to elude many cooks. People either don't put enough seasoning or they put too much. After a few times of doing this and having their loved ones complain about the flavor they give up and quit seasoning the food altogether. I understand your frustration if you are one of these cooks that have had this type of problem with seasoning. I used to have the same problem and every once in a while I still have a mishap.

But seasoning meat is not that hard. I like to coat my pork roast with a 2:1 mixture of salt and pepper with about 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper per pound of meat. Rub the mixture in and then brown the roast in a hot dutch oven on all sides. This will seal the meat and fuse the seasoning to the meat. Once you have seared the meat, you can add beef broth to the pot. Using a good broth further enhances the flavor. Finally you can add whatever dry seasoning you would like to flavor the broth with. I usually add sage and rosemary. I also like to add some dry cranberries right at the end to add some sweetness to the broth.

For some, it seems that the only way to cook pork roast is to over cook it. This doesn't have to be your pork roast. If you sear the roast like I talked about above, you will lock the moisture in for a certain amount of cooking. Once you have added the broth, you need to bring it to a rolling boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium low. The broth should continue to simmer. Cook the pork roast about 15 minutes per pound or until 170 degrees internal temperature is reached. Your roast will be perfectly cooked.

The third and final problem I see with pork roast is they are too greasy. There really is one simple solution to this problem. Buy lean meat. Look for roast that do not have a lot of fat. I know that many people like the fat and say it adds flavor, and a little bit does add flavor. Most people over do it with the fat. A leaner roast will be less greasy and will be healthier for you to eat.

Pork roast is meant to be enjoyed. A few small steps can get you on the right track to making the perfect roast. Season the meat right, don't over cook it, and choose lean meats with a little bit of fat; the next time you cook, your pork roast will be just right.

No comments:

Post a Comment